Fit Academy is a summer day camp for young people aged 5 to 12. Campers will experience daily group exercise, games, nutrition education, cooking lessons, and extraordinary fun! Fit Academy promotes healthier lifestyles for ALL children. The camp is open to Wellness Center members and non-members, and will operate in one-week sessions from June 17 through August 9.
Registration will begin on Monday March 25. Register by dropping by the Wellness Center or by contacting Heather Casey (828) 266-1066.
Spring Fit Academy makes healthy smoothies
Who: Young people aged 5 to 12, members or non-members
Where: Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center
When: June 17 – August 9, week-long sessions
Camp Hours: Arrive between 7:30am and 8:00am, pick up at 4:00pm daily
Fee: $120 per week (limited scholarships available)
Activities include: Hiking, gardening, swimming, nutrition classes, cooking classes, daily group games and activities, fitness classes, bowling and so much more.
Registration: Parents can choose to register their child for the entire 8 weeks of camp, or pick and choose weeks for the summer.
March is FULL of fun! Along with the tastes test, Zumbathon, 21 days of appreciation, and other fun promos and giveaways, we are also doing a “Visits Campaign”. We have challenged our members to EXCEED the March 2018 visits – with the Wellness Center donating $.15 per visit over the baseline to the ARHS patient emergency fund.
We would love to be able to donate $600+ to the fund – which would equal our members getting at LEAST 21,000 visits for March. You will see visuals around the facility to display the current visits and how close we are to the goal. Help us reach our goal by having more visits to the Wellness Center.
To learn more about the ARHS Patient Emergency Fund check out this video:
Exercises that increase cardiovascular endurance as well as those that increase strength and lean muscle tissue are only two very important things to keep up with. A third important element of overall health is flexibility. As we age we tend to lose flexibility. One contributing factor to the loss of flexibility is inactivity; therefore, we can help prevent it. Some of the benefits to increased flexibility are as follows:
An increase in freedom of movement
Better posture
An increase in mental health/relaxation
Release in muscle tension and soreness
Reduces the risk of injury
An increase in physical relaxation
Always make sure to warm up your muscles before stretching. Failure to do this may increase your risk of injury instead of helping it. While stretching, make sure you do not overstretch the muscle. In other words, if it hurts, then do not stretch that far. Also, make sure to continue breathing normally. Make sure to hold the stretch (do not bounce) for maximal effectiveness.
Post workout nutrition is a very important and often overlooked step. It has been proven to provide numerous benefits including improved recovery, glycogen replenishment, and decreased muscle soreness. Before diving into what post workout nutrition is, let’s break down each step one at time. I’ll do my best to keep things simple.
What is glycogen?
Our working muscles require energy to perform at their best which is provided from glycogen. Glycogen is made from dietary carbohydrates that have been broken down and linked together to form chains in the muscle tissue. When muscles are utilized during workouts those chains are broken down to provide energy. The more that a muscle is utilized the more glycogen is depleted until those stores are eventually completed exhausted. The feeling of hitting a wall is typically felt when that happens. Muscles are only capable of storing around 250-400 grams of glycogen. These amounts can vary depending on training status and dietary intake. In general that is around 1000-1400 calories from carbohydrates. So if you are not staring at the back of your eyelids by now, let’s move onto the more exciting stuff.
Why am I so sore after exercising?
Ever had that feeling especially after a tough leg workout that if you dropped something on the floor, the pain of having to bend down to pick it up just isn’t worth it? I know I have been there and it can be rather amusing to watch from the sidelines, especially if you attempt to pick it up. Muscle soreness is caused from muscles being damaged while working out. When those muscles are repaired they become stronger and depending on type of training, bigger. So until they are repaired muscle soreness could continue for days and days. I don’t know about you but I would prefer not being sore that long. I wish there was a way to decrease that soreness…
Alright so what in the world is post workout nutrition?
I’m glad you asked that question! After working out your muscles are primed and ready to accept nutrients needed for repair, energy replenishment, muscle strength, and growth. Just think of them as a sponge ready to soak up anything they receive. There is also a “window” that those nutrients need to be consumed by and it opens immediately after working out till around 2 hours after. After that “window” passes that sponge will not soak up those nutrients as well and be used for other things. Hello post workout nutrition! Now as a side note, post workout nutrition can vary according to exercise type/intensities, training status and body composition goals. So rather than bore you with the details of all the math and science calculations, let’s keep to that simple plan.
What should my post nutrition meal look like?
The best post workout nutrition meal should contain a combination of both protein for muscle repair and carbohydrates for glycogen (energy) replenishment.
A few meal ideas:
Grilled chicken with roasted vegetables.
Egg omelet with avocado spread on toast.
Salmon with sweet potato.
Tuna salad sandwich on whole grain bread.
Oatmeal, yogurt, banana and almonds.
Cottage cheese and fruits.
So to wrap things up
If you want to decrease muscle soreness and continue to have energy while working out, post workout nutrition is your answer. It doesn’t have to be complicated just remember to eat a meal containing protein and carbohydrates immediately and up to 2 hours after exercising. You will be amazed at how much more you are able to accomplish, including picking up things you dropped on the floor.
Until next time workout safe, smart and as often as you can!
According to the American Council on Exercise, 60-80% of American adults suffer from lower back pain. Although sometimes the issue is related to an acute injury which could not be avoided, oftentimes the problem can be prevented. Lower back pain can be attributed to a host of issues including any or all of the following: carrying too much body fat, a sedentary lifestyle, weak core muscles, tight muscles, and/or poor lifting mechanics.
Excessive bodyweight can place a strain on the muscles and ligaments that help support the spine, especially weight carried in the abdomen. In addition to this, those who are overweight tend to live a more sedentary life, which can lead to tight muscles, muscle imbalances, and weak core musculature. Sitting for long durations can lead to shortening of the psoas and hamstrings and weakening of the core muscles that are responsible for maintaining posture as well as supporting the spine. As a result gluteal muscles begin to atrophy and lengthen, forcing other muscles in the back to compensate.
When a person lifts an object from the floor, tight hips force the individual to compensate by using the muscles of the lower back. The repeated use of the lumbar spine and muscles that support this area of the back can cause excessive wear and tear. At this point the individual may need more than stretching and strengthening exercises. Removing limitations of stability and mobility will not necessarily lead to a change in how a person has trained their body to pick up an object. They may require certain movement patterns to be reprogrammed. More specifically, this would involve retraining the body to hinge at the hips.
For those more interested in preventing and/or addressing lower back issues please consult with any of our qualified fitness staff.
Sources: McGrath, C. (2013, December 19). Working Around Low-back Pain: How to Approach LBP With Clients. Retrieved September 10, 2018, from https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/professional/expert-articles/3667/working-around-low-back-pain-how-to-approach-lbp-with-clients
This year CrossFit Boone, Seven Seals Seals CrossFit,Ashe CrossFit and CrossFit Postal are working together to support the Breast Cancer cause through a new program called Kilograms for Mammograms. This fitness oriented fundraiser will celebrate survivors and help remove the cost barrier for those in need of a mammogram – all proceeds will go to the Wilma Redmond Mammography Fund.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Main Event: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center
After Party: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Appalachian Mountain Brewery
The inaugural event will also include a silent auction and kid-friendly exercise challenges.
You can donate as an individual, or in support of a participating athlete or team.
March is FULL of fun! Along with the tastes test, Zumbathon, 21 days of appreciation, and other fun promos and giveaways, we are also doing a “Visits Campaign”. We have challenged our members to EXCEED the March 2018 visits – with the Wellness Center donating $.15 per visit over the baseline to the ARHS patient emergency fund.
Excessive bodyweight can place a strain on the muscles and ligaments that help support the spine, especially weight carried in the abdomen. In addition to this, those who are overweight tend to live a more sedentary life, which can lead to tight muscles, muscle imbalances, and weak core musculature. Sitting for long durations can lead to shortening of the psoas and hamstrings and weakening of the core muscles that are responsible for maintaining posture as well as supporting the spine. As a result gluteal muscles begin to atrophy and lengthen, forcing other muscles in the back to compensate.
This year 